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Hardtail
A favourable purchase price and low weight speak in favour of hardtails, the mountain bikes without shock absorbers in the rear. Due to the lack of joints in the rear triangle, maintenance is also low. Only a suspension fork with 100 to 120 millimetres of travel absorbs shocks from the ground. The disadvantage, however, is that hardtails reach their limits more quickly on demanding terrain than their full-suspension counterparts. Hardtails are also often the first choice for marathon races due to their low weight, albeit as expensive race hardtails. Our tip for beginners who don't want to spend huge sums of money and are mainly travelling on easy trails: Lightweight, sporty hardtails are available from 1300 euros. Cheaper models are often heavy and you have to accept significant compromises in terms of equipment. This reduces the fun of riding. Do you want to venture into technical terrain, but a fully is beyond the price range? Then go for so-called Trail hardtails. More suspension travel on the fork, retractable seat posts and thick tyres increase off-road capability. Other niche products in the hardtail category are mountain bikes with rigid forks and so-called Fatbikes. Due to the lack of suspension at the front, the Rigid fork bikes only for easy, less demanding trails. They are also popular for bikepacking. Fatbikes on the other hand, stand out with their extra-wide 4 to 4.8 inch tyres and make it possible to ride anywhere where you can no longer ride a normal bike - especially on sand and snow.
A large selection of mountain bikes is available from the following online shops:
- Weight: 8 to 15 kilos
- Spring travel: 100-140 millimetres
- Price: Good models from 1300 euros
- Special features: Most models offer space for two bottle cages
Race or marathon fully
The marathon fully is efficient, light and fast. This type of bike is primarily aimed at performance-orientated mountain bikers. The 100 to 120 millimetres of suspension travel at the front and rear provide significantly more comfort and grip than a hardtail. This makes the lightweight MTB fullys suitable for long tours. If you are looking for a lightweight touring bike for tougher terrain, you might be interested in a "down country" bike. This relatively new sub-category is also known as sport tourers. For this Down-country bikes manufacturers take their marathon fullys and equip them with a longer suspension fork (usually 120 mm), a Vario seatpost and thicker tyres. This means you have more fun downhill without losing efficiency. Good Marathon fullys and sports tourers are available from 3500 euros.
- Weight: 10 to 12 kilos
- Spring travel: 100-120 mm
- Price: Good models from 3500 euros
- Special features: Lockout for suspension elements on the handlebars, light and fast-rolling tyres
Trail bike
Spring travels between 120 and 140 millimetres characterise the Trail bike out. It is the all-rounder among full-suspension mountain bikes. Trail bikes offer a lot of fun potential on technical trails and long tours. With lightweight tyres, some candidates even cut a fine figure in marathons. However, the trend is towards downhill riding. With thick tyres, these bikes can also cope with spontaneous enduro missions. At the same time, they are still light enough to master long Alpine tours. A telescopic seat post is a must in this bike category. Good trail bikes are available from around 2000 euros.
- Weight: 11 to 13.5 kilos
- Spring travel: 120-140 millimetres
- Price: Good models from 2000 euros
- Special features: Retractable seat post, wide range of use
All Mountain
Do you want to let off steam on your mountain bike in alpine terrain? This is where all-mountain bikes really come into their own. Because, as the name suggests, they take you over all mountains. 140 to 160 millimetres of suspension travel, telescopic seat posts, grippy tyres and powerful brakes are part of the basic equipment of every all mountain bike. Thanks to the upright riding position, the touring fullys can be pedalled up the mountain in a relaxed manner. Downhill, the flat geometry and full suspension ensure that the rider is not pushed to their limits even on demanding descents. You should spend at least 2500 euros on a Good All Mountain invest.
- Weight: 12 to 14 kilos
- Spring travel: 140-160 millimetres
- Price: Good models from 2500 euros
- Special features: Retractable seat posts, grippy tyres, powerful brakes, very comfortable
Enduro
They are the sports equipment for speed-hungry adrenaline junkies. In the bike park, on jumps or on technical trails, they push the limits of what is rideable. With up to 170 millimetres of suspension travel and extremely long geometries, they are Enduro bikes designed for high speed to such an extent that they can seem unwieldy on a normal ride. The generous suspension travel and robust equipment often also increase the weight. So if you attach great importance to downhill performance, are sometimes out and about in the bike park and still want to crank up the mountain under your own steam, an enduro bike is the right choice for you. Good models are available from around 3000 euros.
- Weight: 13 to 15 kilos
- Spring travel: 160-170 millimetres
- Price: Good models from 3000 euros
- Special features: tyres with good grip and puncture protection, (steel spring) shock absorber with reservoir
